Supermarket Parkups #2 - Stealth Camping at Sainsburys!
As my name, The Urban Motorhome, suggests, I park in some unconventional places. I’ve parked in some random places in my time, including supermarkets and fast food chain car parks.
I always film my experiences so I can take my viewers along for the ride, showing everyone how I find urban park ups and what I look out for.
In this edition of my supermarket park up series, I attempt to park overnight at Sainsbury's!
If You’re New Around Here, Welcome
My name is Darran and I've been living in my motorhome in the UK, full-time, for over 6 years. I very rarely go on sites, I just find park ups as and where I can.
The twist is I like to park where most wouldn’t dare! Nothing phases me, I will literally try anywhere. As I mentioned above, I film my life, park ups and all, and post the videos on my YouTube channel.
Come And Find An Urban Park Up With Me
After the success of my Tesco park up, another supermarket had to come next! The video is below, so you can come along with me as I attempt to do an overnight stop at Sainsburys.
Here is the vlog of this park up, below is the transcription!
This video was filmed 8 days before the first national lock down during covid.
'What's up guys, this is going to be supermarket park up number two, as you [can] see, Sainsbury's. Um, that's where I'm parked, it is a Sunday, it's Sunday the 15th of March. So at the moment, you know, the country's going a bit crazy with the whole Corona thing [stock piling wise] so yeah, I mean, I've got a night off tonight. I'm off for a couple of nights now. Uh, so yeah, I'm gonna park here tonight.
Now, there is a camera, a number plate recognition thing, as you're driving in, um, but then there's these parking restrictions [for] like three hours, but then it says it finishes at four o'clock on a Sunday until seven o'clock the next morning.
So, now I'm parking here just because if there's any wind or anything I can get some shelter. I could go either side to be fair.
I think I'm going to leave or get up a bit early. It has registered my number plate, but it says parking restrictions are, parking restrictions only apply, 7am to 11pm Monday to Saturday and then 10 till 4 on Sundays.
I entered about half 4, and then it comes up on the board as you enter, uh, which you'll see in this footage [on the video], that I had to leave by half seven. But obviously parking restrictions don't apply now. So I'm assuming that I'll drive out in the morning and I shouldn't get a ticket, because it is a 70 ticket!
Which, I mean, if I do [get a ticket], then that's part of this experiment really and, uh, I will argue it. I'll just say 'I don't know what you're talking about, parking restrictions weren't in'. So I think I want to leave by 7:00 AM, [or] before 7:00 AM, so then I am well within the window. So if I leave about ten two... which means I've gotta be up early 'cause I don't want to be hassled. You know what I mean? I don't want a ticket, who wants a ticket! But yeah. So I'm just gonna bunk down here tonight. It should be all right. It shouldn't be too bad. I'll see.
It's the Sainsbury's in Harlow. Should be alright, [got the] petrol station over there. Obviously everything's shut now, but tomorrow morning I do want to get out of here as well. Not only because [of] the 7 o'clock start of the restrictions, which I don't know if that means I'll then get charged. I'm not sure about that.
If anyone knows about these restrictions, um, this one's by Horizon Parking so if anyone knows about it, then drop them in the comments below!
Um, it's starting to rain again. But yeah, tomorrow I'm expecting people to be crazy again shopping, so I reckon, Sainsbury's here opens at 7am, so I expect this car park to be packed in the morning, so I want to get out. I mean, I am kind of considering parking over there, so I'm facing the direction out, so people can't park either side, you know what I mean?
So I've just got to drive straight, but here I've obviously got to drive straight and then turn, because that's the way the parking spaces are. But apart from that I should be fine. I don't see any problems here to be fair. There is a pub just down the road, people might cut through. There's a town centre over there. Again, people might cut through, as if they're walking across but I can't see it being a problem.
So what I'm going to do now is film Motorhome Monday's, ready for tomorrow's publish. And then crack on with some work online, some website work. I want to get the website finished, ready to be launched and then have some dinner, watch some TV, chill out, go to sleep, ha ha. Alright, I'll update you all as and when, if anything happens.
Right, so, I'm still parked up at Sainsbury's, um, just done a bit of editing. I've finished filming Motorhome Mondays and that's uploaded. That's all ready to go in the morning. And, uh, I had an email from Uber Eats saying, 'you haven't used your discount code yet, you haven't used your discount code'.
So I had a little look into it and they're giving you £15 off a £20 order. I was like, what? That's, uh, that's a sweet deal! So naturally, naturally, I've put in an order. And it's just updated saying it's on the way. So here we go. Here's my order. I put in an order for a kebab. And I told them that I'm just in the Sainsbury's [car park] and I'm in the white motorhome. So, it says there, on its way. And then it says your driver, who your driver is. I can't see there being a problem, but we'll find out, won't we? Bingo! Brilliant! Love it!
Me: 'Yeah mate, nice one. How are you, alright?'
Driver: 'Not bad, yourself?'
Me: 'Yeah, busy night?'
Driver: 'It's alright, not too bad'
Me: 'Nice one, thanks buddy. You have a good night, yeah?'
Driver: 'You too, man. Have a good one. Take care, thank you'
Me: 'Cheers mate, bye bye'
How easy was that? Kebab here, Bosh! Done! Result! Time to dig in!
It's nearly 12 o'clock at night Um, I'm gonna go to bed in a minute. I thought I'd just come out and have a little look around and show you that, I mean it's pitch black in here now, all the lights are off, it's only the petrol station that's lit. It's been the odd, the odd person driving in and out. That's me there, one car there. And that's it really. So it's really quiet, no one around. There's the odd car that comes and goes. There's one.
Apart from that, nothing's really happening. Just gonna, uh, settle in for the night now, go to bed, and get up nice and early, get out of here before seven. Right, night!
Good morning. Right, woken up in Sainsbury's car park. Let me just get some light. Um, yeah, pretty good night, there was a few people walking through like I thought there would be.
I cut through to the town, or from the town to wherever they're going because it's housing estate that way. But, um, yes, now, what is the time now? 25 to 7? So, parking restrictions come at 7, like I said. I don't know what that really means. I don't know if that means from then I'll get a ticket or what. So, I'm gonna leave before 7.
I'm gonna pop into the garage and do the air and, uh, check the tyres and all that. But let's have a look, shall we?
The windows have condensated a bit but apart from that, it is relatively quiet out there. There's no one really out there.
There we have it, stayed in the same place all night. No problems. That's the Sainsbury's park up. Haha, done! But yeah, like I said, I'm going to leave here now because I'm not sure about this situation with the, with the, uh, parking restrictions.
Because it registered my plate as I came in. So we've got them there and, yeah, I dunno if its going to give me a ticket on the way out or, or not but we'll find out. And if I do get a ticket then, obviously, I'm going to contest it because on the parking restrictions it says they only apply within certain hours and I've followed them hours.
And if I do get a ticket then I'll let you all know. So, yeah, that's park up number two in a supermarket car park - Sainsbury's, done!'
End of transcription.
If you’ve got anywhere you think I should park up next, drop it in the comments below. Take it easy!